“Several of us at Via Meadia have lost beloved relatives to smoking-related diseases, and have been deprived of years of their friendship and wise counsel.”

I’ve never forgotten Andy Rooney’s poignant eulogy of Harry Reasoner, his longtime friend, colleage, ally, and confidant, when Reasoner died. Rooney was extremely critical of Reasoner’s smoking, which he continued even after apparently losing one lung to cancer.

“We loved him, and he was careless of our love.”

MichaelM

Young people have turned to other things than tobacco, at least in my experience. Alcohol, weed, harder drugs, other addictive activities.

The Kids Still Aren’t Alright.

Richard Treitel

This is great news in that smoking is a habit usually picked up when young and unlikely to start later, so some millions of youngsters are probably safe from it in perpetuity. The wasp in this particular jar of honey is that, when more young people have jobs that enable them to afford cigarettes, more of them will probably start smoking again.

One idea is to give them easier access to substances less addictive than tobacco. Do I get kicked out of here for speaking the M-word?

My dad was a two pack a day Lucky Strike smoker. In my turn I became a two pack a day Camel smoker. Then my father died of smoking caused cancer and I knew I would never forgive myself if I put myself in the same predicament. It took three tries and my successful try was aided by an accidental concussion that flattened all desire for food, sex and smoking. I saw my opportunity and turned the flat disdain on the smokes. It took about five years for the occasional urge to smoke to entirely disappear.

silia

Due to education, less glamorization by media, high cost and bad economy, preference for pot, or what?

Vincent Mohan

Excellent news for the health of individuals and the nation. One wonders, however, what governments will tax to make up lost revenue.

Howzabout we just ban it, prohibit growing tobacco altogether, and see what happens. Contraband tobacco will be grown indoors like pot. Tobacco taxes–gone! Wailings and lamentations begin over tax loss.

I remember the ’70s and being smoked out of parties. Doesn’t happen now.

Raymond R

One thing that I have noticed over the past few years is this: when I was a teenager,it was the “cool” kids who smoked. Now, when I look at which kids are smoking, they are clearly “losers” and outcasts.

Jacksonian Libertarian

If you don’t have a job you can’t pay for an expensive smoking habit. At an average $5 a pack, a 1 pack a day smoker will spend $150 a month and $1,825 per year. For someone earning minimum wage of about $15k per year, a smoking habit costs over 10% of their income. And with double digit unemployment among the young, they just can’t afford to smoke.